WATERBURY — The two major party candidates for governor made a pitch for votes at an NAACP forum this past weekend, pledging to help raise up the urban underclass, improve big-city schools, and create second chances for people who have served time in prison.

Republican Tom Foley, who has spent considerable time and energy trying to woo residents in traditionally Democratic cities, say his message of fairness and opportunity is resonating with black and Latino voters. "There is a tremendous amount of unfairness in this fantastic state and the impact of the economy that we have right now falls disproportionately on different members of our community,'' he said. "I'll tell you where it hurts the most: it's in our cities."

Foley, a private equity executive from Greenwich, repeatedly emphasized his business experience during his half-hour chat. He laid out an urban agenda that includes freezing the motor vehicle property tax at 30 mills, instituting a grading system for public schools and overhauling a program that is supposed to give minority-owned businesses preference when state contracts are awarded.

"It is not fair [that] you have a community with 30-plus percent unemployment,'' Foley said at the forum on Saturday night in Waterbury. "It is not fair if you have a young child in a community that's not getting a decent education … I want to fix that."

Foley's comments were met with polite but tepid applause from the crowd of 50 people in the auditorium of a community action agency. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who followed Foley at the podium, was greeted with far more enthusiasm.

A Democrat seeking a second term, Malloy spent most of his time promoting his record. He began with statistics to bolster his contention that helping large cities has been one of his priorities. Waterbury has received $21 million more in state aid, mostly for schools, since 2011, and aid for the city's roads has doubled during that same span, the governor said. He also said 17 small businesses in the city have received economic development loans or grants under his watch.

"We've done a lot of work in four years,'' Malloy said. "We did not balance our budget the same as other states did. Not a single teacher, not a single policeman, not a single fireman …. has lost their job because I took my problem and shifted it to Waterbury, or Bridgeport or New Haven."

The candidates found common ground on one issue: Both agreed the state needs to do more to help ex-convicts secure jobs. "I support second chances,'' Foley told the audience. "I will do what I can do to make sure employers are not unfairly discriminating against ex-offenders. These are people we should be helping to get jobs."

It was a point underscored — and amplified upon — by Malloy. "We have to recreate a second-chance society,'' he said. It is an ideal that is essential to America's very existence, he said, noting that wave after wave of immigrants has come to the U.S. for a chance to build a better life.

"We go to church on Sunday because we believe in second chances," Malloy said. "Bankruptcy was created in the United States for second chances … we did away with poorhouses."

But, he added, over the past few decades the criminal justice system "somehow … became invested in permanent punishment."

A former prosecutor, Malloy said he is not advocating against prison for those who commit crimes. But after serving their time and repaying their debt to society, ex-offenders should have the opportunity to find work. He has proposed a program that would offer a hand to those looking for jobs by working with nonprofit groups, religious institutions, private employers and unions.

Malloy also told the crowd that "you're looking at the guy who decriminalized marijuana, not because I want to encourage marijuana being smoked: I don't." But he said he came to understand that the state's marijuana laws were disproportionately hurting young blacks and Latinos.

The race for governor is essentially tied, with Malloy leading Foley by one percentage point in last week's Quinnipiac University poll. Not surprisingly, both men closed with a direct pitch for votes.

Malloy reminded the NAACP audience that both President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are coming to Connecticut to campaign for him. "I'd ask that you be there on Nov. 4," he said. "I'd ask that you drag everybody out and vote. I'd ask that Waterbury votes like this is a presidential election … we need every person to vote."

Foley concluded with a promise to form an administration that reflects the state's diversity. "I've gotten to know an awful lot of people in minority communities in our cities in the process of running for office and I look forward to including many of them in my government … I think you will really like what you see when Gov. Foley puts together his team.''

The Republican nominee's overarching message was that Malloy had his chance to achieve his goals — and failed. "With this governor, you know you didn't get what you were promised,'' he said. "I don't think it can get any worse, so give me a chance."

It was a theme that resonated with one member of the audience. Sylvester Traylor of Waterford, 53 and unemployed, clapped several times during Foley's speech; he was often the only member of the audience applauding.

Traylor did not like what he heard from the governor: "He had four years to do all of this and he never did. I voted for him last time but I won't vote for him this time, no way."

But others liked what they heard from Malloy. "I'm voting for Malloy," Milford Hayes, a Waterbury police detective, said as he walked out of the auditorium. "I'm a Democrat and I think he really did a good job … since he's been governor, he has done a lot for the city.''

Hayes' wife, Jahana, is a teacher in Waterbury and said she was eager to hear the governor's comments. "I was a little mad at him for a while, but I think this helped,'' she said. "I'm glad the governor came to Waterbury, I think that was important."

But Jahana Hayes said she remains undecided, and said, "I'm still listening very closely."